


The In-Betweens Of 304

by wh0lesome6666



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29605011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wh0lesome6666/pseuds/wh0lesome6666
Summary: Killua's Senior year was off to the perfect start; his best friend became his boyfriend, he wasn't failing all his classes for once, and had gotten accepted into an amazing college kickstarting a bright future for the troubled highschooler. But of course, this wouldn't last for long. One night when Gon goes out to a party and has a little too much fun, the next thing Killua knows he's getting called to view his in-a-coma-boyfriend. Yeah, turns out alcohol poisoning can do that. As Killua finally reached his limit battling the pain alone, his big brother Illumi finally sends him off to a group therapy meet in the YorkNew Hospital. Not liking this turn of events at all, Killua is firmly closed off to the idea of this. But as the other patient's stories and lives start to take shape, each one with its own battles and complicated stories, Killua starts to finally realize-and like- what it's like to be an In-Betweener of 304.
Relationships: Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Kudos: 8





	1. When The Light Went Out

Coma

A coma is a state of prolonged unconsciousness that can be caused by a variety of problems — traumatic head injury, stroke, brain tumor, drug or alcohol intoxication, or even an underlying illness.

_____________________________________________

'It wasn't your fault.'

Killua Zoldyck has heard that sentence once too many times since his best friend had been admitted to YorkNew hospital one month ago. In room 728 with a heart monitor and a Park view window that allowed sunlight to pool in from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m laid Gon Freecss, the boy who wasn't really there.

He was so fragile and looked so peaceful when the moonlight would illuminate his tanned skin, and sometimes if you looked hard enough through the hospital-ordered window bars, you could see scintillating midnight stars thousands and thousands of miles away, twinkling down at you through a patchwork of clouds. Sometimes it felt like the stars only shone for Gon. If Killua tried hard enough, he could pretend he was one of the stars, so far away from this room, this hospital, this town, this city, this world. But if Killua was a star, he would always keep an eye on Gon, just waiting until the day when a nurse would come in and tap him on the shoulder, yearning for the moment when they would say,

"He's awake, you can go see him now."

Yearning for the day when he could hear Gon, his light, his whole world say his name again. For the day he could see his amber eyes light up with joy. He was waiting for his reason to live to come back to life himself.

Tear tracks were like tattoos on Killua's face, pearly drops pricking at his cerulean eyes every time he would even walk into the hospital, outside, and especially into school. Old memories taunted him every waking second.

Passing the East Stairwell...

Here's where you first met him.

Passing the broken water fountain in the Senior wing...

Here's where he called you his best friend, don't you remember? He announced It to the whole world like he wasn't ever afraid of it.

Into the Second-floor boy's bathroom...

Here's where he held your hand for the first time. It was so warm compared to yours, and he held as he would never let you go, and you did the same. Remember, Killua? Don't you remember?

And when classes end, you left through the Courtyard...

And here's where he first kissed you. Don't you remember how he tasted so sweet? Don't you remember thinking that this is all you had ever wanted, the way your lips fit so perfectly together, the way his arms pulled you closer? How the world seemed to stop, and everything was for him and you at that moment? And when you broke apart, you both smiled like idiots, the taste of him still on your tongue? Remember?

And then, after passing through the Courtyard, everyone went home walking down their respective streets to be greeted by a warm and loving family.

Remember when you walked home together and he stopped you halfway down the street? You asked him what he was doing, but all he did was look at you with the honey-glow eyes, and the sunlight pooled around him so much it resembled a halo. He looked like an angel. Do you remember how it felt when he traced your jawline with the pad of his thumb, a sudden burst of warmth on your face? Do you recall when he asked you to be his boyfriend? And you were so flustered, but of course, you said yes, because you knew you wanted to be with him for the rest of your life, no matter what. And you still do. 

You still really fucking do.

Fresh tears bubbled at the edges of Killua's vision, but he kept them held back where no one could see them, like a dam. If he tore it down, they would flood over and completely destroy the perfectly crafted 'I'm fine' image he had been keeping up for weeks. A tsunami of dumb emotions couldn't ruin this for him, so he kept it all locked down and held tight, his mind steeled and vulnerability was thrown away like last season's trends, just waiting until the fated day where his facade would tumble down in front of him.


	2. Breaking Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killua locks himself in the past with memories of Gon while Illumi tries to help him look to the future.

break·ing point/ˈbrākiNG ˌpoint/

noun

1.the moment of greatest strain at which someone or something gives way

___________________________________________________________

Hunter High's scuffed linoleum floors and banged-up old lockers had once been a welcome sight to Killua. The place was like a second home chock full of freshman memories, nostalgia cascading off the site like torrent ocean waves.

Before Gon, the school had just been another hurdle in the way of Killua's dream: to get out of her and never come back. All he had to do was trudge through the minutes, hours, days, and finally years before his sufferance would end. But then Gon did come, a lamplight to this confusing maze. An angel in Killua's time of need. Soon Gon lit up his whole self, his whole world is whole life. Gon was his world and the world was Gons.

And now he was gone. He was here and not here all at once, and Killua's light went out. The bright illumination and fruitful life had once shared spiraled out, and suddenly nothing was anything anymore, and it felt like a sick and twisted merry-go-round where no matter how many times you begged and pleaded to get off, the operator would just go faster and faster and faster until nothing made sense anymore.

Comforting words from strangers around the school, sweet nothings they would lie to his face, hugs, and condolences were conveyed to Killua, but as the teen had guessed people had eventually gotten tired of his mopey behavior and assumed they had done their part for him. Killua was left to rot. School, socializing, and soon even waking up in the mornings were bothersome tasks to complete. There was no endgame for Killua, no goal. Just Gon, always Gon.

A husk of himself, he felt devoid of his purpose. How could he be okay when his lifeline was attached to a literal one 3 miles away?

Killua, in himself, had reached his own first stage of grief: Depression. Or moreover, a breaking point.

___________________________________________________________

Illumi Zoldyck was not the best at reading emotions. The difference between sarcasm and straightforwardness, happiness and sadness. To be honest, he didn't even care that much to learn it. However, he did very well the know the difference between honesty and deceptiveness.

Watching his younger brother break down in front of him and lie about it to his face was tortuous. It soon became clear what he had to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's a loss you've suffered?


End file.
